A growing group of people decide Cardiff should join the worldwide Occupy movement and set up a protest camp against social inequality. Running up to 11/11/11 there are various planning meetings. The occupation is advertised as a demonstration under the banner occupy Cardiff but there is a lot of discussion online about an occupation and it appears in the media.

Leading up to the removal of the camp, deputy leader of the council Neil McEvoy visits the occupiers and asks them to consider moving to Callahan Square. Occupiers say the location is too out of view and accuse McEvoy of trying to hijack the camp for his own political motives.

Torrential rain sets in and numbers are reduced. The camp is removed by police within hours. There are six arrests.

A series of meetings follow about the next step including one attended by deputy leader of the council Neil McEvoy.There are different versions of the meeting’s events of events.McEvoy has referred to ‘extremist elements’ in Occupy Cardiff in the media. However all Occupy Cardiff actions have been peaceful.

28.11.11
Two of the six arrested at Cardiff Castle on 11.11.11, aged 17 and 36, appear at Cardiff Magistrates Court. They will be tried in February 2012 after being
charged under section 61 of the Criminal Justice Act.

2.12.11
Representatives from Occupy Cardiff: The Great Tax Invasion appear in court. A warrant is issued and the eviction is almost immediate – representatives say bailiffs and police and waiting outside the building while the result is being read out in court. No arrests were made. According
to the group’s representatives, while the hearing was read out there were
already police and bailiffs outside the building and it was evicted within an
hour. It was the day before the Wales and Australia
game at the Millennium Stadium, which is next door.

The Occupy Cardiff camp has received a lot of support from passers by and from donations.There have also been shouts of ‘get a job’ (although many occupiers have one), and other more reasoned criticisms.The debate has continued online.

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“theys all on benefits I expect”. Man on bus commenting on occupy cardiff.

Despite any criticism, Occupy Cardiff has had an effect on grassroots activism in Cardiff
with people being involved in action who have never done anything like
it before and different groups working together.